When officials descended on 36 John Mackenzie Drive on 27 November, the scene inside the walled property confirmed what nearby residents had warned about for months.

The Citizen Relationship and Urban Management (CRUM) team, supported by SAPS, JMPD and Urban Inspectors, arrived for a High Impact Service Delivery operation following repeated by-law complaints from the Emmarentia Residents Association.

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What they found was a cramped, cluttered space where piles of recyclable material had built up over time—waste collected and stored by reclaimers who had gradually gravitated to the site. A tenant, who asked not to be named, said the property had become increasingly chaotic, alleging that drugs and alcohol were being sold on-site.

Parkhurst resident Steven Jourdan, who previously ran a wastepreneur site for eight years at the Pirates Bowls Club in Greenside—where waste reclaimers could sort their material into profitable recyclables and junk—reflected on the broader context. That site was closed in early 2025 due to public pressure.

Jourdan stressed how easily the narrative can lose sight of the people at its centre. Waste reclaimers, he explained, carry out essential work in the city.

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“There are over 6 000 waste reclaimers operating, and they handle just about 80% of all waste that is reclaimed in the city.”

Without them, he noted, most of that material would end up in already overburdened landfill sites. Despite the value of their contribution, the system remains overwhelmingly informal. Jourdan explained that reclaimers follow the waste, which means they operate in more affluent suburbs where recyclables are of higher value.

“To make a day’s work viable, many stay close to those areas, as it’s nearly impossible to travel from places like Soweto before dawn and still reach high-yield routes in time.”

The publication previously reported that all four of the city’s official landfills are expected to reach capacity by the end of next year. Pikitup spokesperson Muzi Mkhwanazi confirmed that one of the four landfills, Marie Louise, was temporarily closed to assess capacity.

“The site was temporarily closed to undertake a feasibility study to explore ways to increase capacity.”

The city’s remaining landfills—Robinson Deep, Ennerdale and Goudkoppies—are now under immense pressure as rubbish is redirected their way.

Jourdan described the situation as a ‘two-sided coin’: reclaimers fill a vital gap in the city’s waste system, yet the city has no structured plan to accommodate them. Their presence in suburban pockets sparks conflict, and sites like the one on John Mackenzie become pressure points—first tolerated, then contested, and eventually raided.

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